What a great piccie. I'm 62 and really too young to remember this period, but the atmosphere of the photo exudes that period of the great 500 singles.

Even Jack Burnicle on Eurosport from Imola said yesterday that his first great memory of road racing was the thunder of an open megga 500 OHC Manx.

In the late 60s and early 70s even though by that time I was embroiled in my own racing I remember the sound of those machines thundering round the back at Brands at the Internationals (we no longer have).

My favorite vantage point was along the straight leading up to Hawthorns in the trees, easily available from Druids where many watched. Must have been 1968 RoTS where Hailwood had the 297 six and all the home stars were on singles before H&S and NOISE control ruined everything I hold dear.

Then when we had to fit silencers to the TZs and other two strokes that ruined the 'sound of tearing calico' as Randy Mamola once described the sound of an unsilenced TZ, the world lost a great sound that even now is travelling to far off stars. Lucky Aliens

What a great piccie. I'm 62 and really too young to remember this period, but the atmosphere of the photo exudes that period of the great 500 singles.

Even Jack Burnicle on Eurosport from Imola said yesterday that his first great memory of road racing was the thunder of an open megga 500 OHC Manx.

In the late 60s and early 70s even though by that time I was embroiled in my own racing I remember the sound of those machines thundering round the back at Brands at the Internationals (we no longer have).

My favorite vantage point was along the straight leading up to Hawthorns in the trees, easily available from Druids where many watched. Must have been 1968 RoTS where Hailwood had the 297 six and all the home stars were on singles before H&S and NOISE control ruined everything I hold dear.

Then when we had to fit silencers to the TZs and other two strokes that ruined the 'sound of tearing calico' as Randy Mamola once described the sound of an unsilenced TZ, the world lost a great sound that even now is travelling to far off stars. Lucky Aliens

Now what we got

With the Mint about to be the first bloke to lap at over the ton on a single. Judging by his letterheads, Derek was clearly justifiably proud of this achievement.

What a great piccie. I'm 62 and really too young to remember this period, but the atmosphere of the photo exudes that period of the great 500 singles.

Even Jack Burnicle on Eurosport from Imola said yesterday that his first great memory of road racing was the thunder of an open megga 500 OHC Manx.

In the late 60s and early 70s even though by that time I was embroiled in my own racing I remember the sound of those machines thundering round the back at Brands at the Internationals (we no longer have).

My favorite vantage point was along the straight leading up to Hawthorns in the trees, easily available from Druids where many watched. Must have been 1968 RoTS where Hailwood had the 297 six and all the home stars were on singles before H&S and NOISE control ruined everything I hold dear.

Then when we had to fit silencers to the TZs and other two strokes that ruined the 'sound of tearing calico' as Randy Mamola once described the sound of an unsilenced TZ, the world lost a great sound that even now is travelling to far off stars. Lucky Aliens

Now what we got

Some of us even remember the sound of the Porcupine and the Gambalunga, Tony! How right you are about the sounds.

I sooo agree Tony!
Like you, I was an avid spectator in my teens before I went racing myself, and went to many of the home internationals in the late sixties/early seventies (including the Race of the South) and have loved the british singles ever since. For me, nothing can compare to the atmosphere when riders lined up on the grid for the start of the Race of the Year main race, especially when four strokes were still a force - the drama of that moment, the expectation, smell, noise, nerves - you could cut it with a knife! One of my ambitions was to ride in that race one day! Never managed it of course, but rode in the supporting races a couple of times. Lining up on that Mallory grid and seeing that bank crammed solid with thousands of spectators (even as an "also-ran") is a memory I'll always cherish !

Blimey, Larry - did you witness this one? Hocking on the Twin, which presumably really was a big motor? I don't like the look of Hailwood's fairing (Ducati style ?) as it seems to be very restricting on the leg dangling front.

Blimey, Larry - did you witness this one? Hocking on the Twin, which presumably really was a big motor? I don't like the look of Hailwood's fairing (Ducati style ?) as it seems to be very restricting on the leg dangling front.

Perhaps the camera angle is deceptive but there doesn't seem to be much of a downhill gradient from the apex of the corner, compared to more recent pics?

Not really, Mick - we are here looking at the original Hairpin, which was a genuine hairpin bend.

Early to mid-60s, the circuit was changed to turn right, about 50/60 yards before this, across what was/is in effect a link road. The run down from Tornagrough through this modern "hairpin" (in reality two right-angle bends with a steepish 10 yards between them, leading out on to the run to the Flow Bog) is the downhill gradient that you see in modern-day pics - the run on down from there to the old corner levelled out slightly as this pic shows, and the run through the old hairpin was quite level.

Not really, Mick - we are here looking at the original Hairpin, which was a genuine hairpin bend.

Early to mid-60s, the circuit was changed to turn right, about 50/60 yards before this, across what was/is in effect a link road. The run down from Tornagrough through this modern "hairpin" (in reality two right-angle bends with a steepish 10 yards between them, leading out on to the run to the Flow Bog) is the downhill gradient that you see in modern-day pics - the run on down from there to the old corner levelled out slightly as this pic shows, and the run through the old hairpin was quite level.

Think we already had a shot from this scene from a different angle.Perhaps Provini had more than a passing interest in switching to classes where he had not to deal with Ubbiali, the Conte's favourite?Bill Webster on the left I suppose

Think we already had a shot from this scene from a different angle.Perhaps Provini had more than a passing interest in switching to classes where he had not to deal with Ubbiali, the Conte's favourite?Bill Webster on the left I suppose

Yes Renn, there seems to be quite a few shots of Tarquinio hanging around the fours. Do we know if he was ever given a chance to throw his leg over one?

I rekon that's an Italiano on the left - think he's appered elsewhere? John Hartle's crash hat on the saddle too.

A garage round the back of Douglas probably prior to the 1959 Junior TT. I have Hartle on his No 2 bike and Surtees on his No 4 machine somewhere on the course. Spot the differences.

The rear units, which are different, are attached to a changed frame arrangement; front down tubes different too and missing a bracing cross piece; Hartle's riding position also seems to be lower; front brake plate, or perhaps brakes are not the same. Presumably Surtees had the newer bike.

I think you're right chaps but don't you rekon there's something odd about Driver's trajectory - almost as if he's been added into the picture, or perhaps it's some trick of the camera?
Or have I had too many sherberts?

I've had a couple too , but to me the oddity is the angle of Reads front wheel. Almost on opposite lock whereas the other two seem to be aiming for the late 2nd apex at the Parabolica. Very strange. Nevermind, another bottle of IPA should help solve the problem ....

This can't be for real can it? Driver and Read are about to collide big style?

Maybe I'm seeing things but there appears to be something strange going on inside the yellow lines, and there appears to be a faintly discernableline running up the picture where I have marked it in pink. Probably reading too much into it but that shadow from the rider at the right of the picdoes look completely wrong.

[quote name='Yendor' date='Apr 8 2012, 08:16' post='5647016']
Maybe I'm seeing things but there appears to be something strange going on inside the yellow lines, and there appears to be a faintly discernable
line running up the picture where I have marked it in pink. Probably reading too much into it but that shadow from the rider at the right of the pic
does look completely wrong.

Also the riders shadows do not appear to line up either and Drivers' shadow should extend beyond the rear of Read.

Oh really? Not if people like me have not heard of Jim Adams. Or is this part of the forum becoming so exclusive, most of us are excluded?

It's unlkely any malice was intended, Paul. The picture was discussed not that long ago, including, I think, SMBH's spannerman, so there was probably a leg pulling element there. But you're right, we aint the Paddock Club.

Terryshep, you were entered on a Norton - why did you swap to the "pretty bike"??

;)

Sorry for the tardy reply, Larry, I must have been asleep.

I was entered on Francis Beart's Norton but he had recently bought a 7R "for evaluation" as he put it, so we decided to try it out in the Ulster. I don't remember how it went but we didn't pursue it, as I always preferred the Norton.

The only time we dangled our legs in those days was when we were riding back to the pits after falling off! Valentino is responsible for that particular style.